Advances in the Dynamics of Viral Structures

A Special Issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915) belonging to the section "General Virology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 552

Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
Interests: protein structure; molecular interactions; conformational dynamics; viral enzymes; inhibitor design; drug resistance

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
Interests: HIV protease; crystal structure; protein structure; molecular interactions; conformational dynamics; viral enzymes; inhibitor design; drug resistance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Understanding the dynamic nature of viral structures is crucial for revealing the mechanisms that drive virus function, infectivity, and pathogenesis. This Special Issue of Viruses highlights recent progress in examining viral structures using both computational and experimental techniques. The study of conformational flexibility, molecular interactions, and the functional dynamics of viral proteins reveals how these properties impact the viral lifecycle and inform the creation of innovative antiviral strategies. This collection includes research findings encompassing a wide range of topics, spanning molecular simulations to advanced biophysical characterisation, and fosters a multidisciplinary view of the challenges and emerging opportunities in viral structural dynamics. This Special Issue welcomes researchers from all backgrounds to share novel discoveries and methodologies that expand our understanding of the structure and dynamics of viruses and their components.

Dr. Nese Kurt-Yilmaz
Prof. Dr. Celia A. Schiffer
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • virus structure
  • conformational dynamics
  • molecular interactions
  • viral proteins
  • antiviral drug design
  • protein structure
  • functional dynamics
  • molecular simulations
  • biophysical spectroscopy
  • crystallography
  • cryo-EM
  • NMR

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

29 pages, 2106 KB  
Review
Conformational Dynamics of Viral Protease Precursors in Maturation, Inhibition, and Drug-Resistance Development
by Taťána Majerová and Pavel Novotný
Viruses 2026, 18(9), 967; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18090967 - 2 Sep 2026
Viewed by 162
Abstract
Viral proteases process viral polyproteins into functional proteins and are therefore essential for viral replication and antiviral drug development. Most research has focused on mature enzymes, whereas precursor and partially processed protease forms remain poorly understood. This review examines viral protease maturation as [...] Read more.
Viral proteases process viral polyproteins into functional proteins and are therefore essential for viral replication and antiviral drug development. Most research has focused on mature enzymes, whereas precursor and partially processed protease forms remain poorly understood. This review examines viral protease maturation as a dynamic and temporally regulated process. Immature precursors are often membrane-associated and conformationally heterogeneous, and their activation is controlled by mechanisms such as cis cleavage, dimerization, cofactor binding, and interdomain communication. These regulatory steps represent potential vulnerabilities in production of viral progeny. We discuss how conformational dynamics influence protease maturation in coronaviruses, flaviviruses, picornaviruses, and retroviruses, and how defined precursor states may be pharmacologically exploited. Targeting these states could complement inhibition of the mature enzyme, increase the barrier to drug resistance, or dysregulate maturation by inducing premature protease activation, thereby disrupting viral particle production. Protease maturation therefore offers a conceptual framework for antiviral strategies that extend beyond classical active-site inhibition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Dynamics of Viral Structures)
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